Announcing the Agricultural Reclamation Act

June 24, 2010 — lecturer

Note: The following was forwarded from the Friends of Family Farmers, and we proudly pass it on here.

Today, we are happy to announce that the Agricultural Reclamation Act document is finished and ready to go out into the world. If you would like a copy of the document, you can contact me directly, or download it from the Friends of Family Farmers website.

We have an online endorsement form where you, your friends, family, neighbors and customers can sign on to show your support for the Agricultural Reclamation Act. We also have a new video up that Colin has put together from the Delegation. All of this can be found at the web address above!

Also, we recently presented the Agricultural Reclamation Act to the Oregon Department of Agriculture. While there were some glimmers of hope, it seemed clear that the current mindset of the ODA will remain unabated unless there are significant outside forces influencing the future of the agency.

The Agricultural Reclamation Act has real potential to be that positive outside influence. We must be unrelenting in our pursuit for agency education and the support systems that the socially responsible farming sector deserves.

With that said, the Department of Agriculture needs to continue to hear from all of you. If you have not done so already (and a big thanks to those who have), please take a minute or two to send us personal comments or anecdotes on any of the following topics:

Specific examples on how the ODA has demonstrated inconsistent interpretation of rules and regulations,

How the ODA could improve their service and further support you,

Your experience with confusing local, state and federal jurisdiction issues,

The need for something like the ARA and the process we have been through

We will continue to send these to the ODA on a weekly basis until they begin to understand what is actually happening on the ground.

Finally, as a community, we also need to continue to effectively organize, network with other farmers and ranchers, talk to our neighbors and customers, and provide a base of support for one another so that we can strengthen the economic and physical viability of agriculture in Oregon. The future of change lies in our hands.

Please help us spread the word as we build widespread public support for these ideas and work to create change that will positively effect our farms, ranches, economy and communities.